Texas Gardening: Please ID

I'm considering using some ground cover in my beds this year to help me control the weeds. Someone gave this to me last year, and she has just about an endless supply. She wants me to take it all. She said it's called Vinca (vine or ground cover). Now, I know Vinca, the flower, and the leaves do look alike, but I found nothing in our plant files about this little thing.

I planted two like this under an oak tree, almost all shaded. Hardly watered it at all, and look how healthy it is. The lady said it grows in shade or sun, and I did see it in both at her place.

Well Kitt, the only thing I know as vinca is also called periwinkle, and it gets about 12 inches high. I've seen it with blue or white flowers. But this plant is very small and compact, but sends out runners, I think.

Definately Periwinkle I love it DW hates it LOL it can be quite invasive but it does so slowly so much so that you don't realize it is a problem until it claims one of your rose beds as it's very own I have had the same strain of it for 40 years ,,Moved it everywhere I ever lived ,,Shhh, DW does not know that we have it here

Well, Sheila, I think that one is the Vinca Major. My two little plants still look so healthy, but they are under an oak tree in very little filtered sun. They are not blooming, but I'm just excited that they are still alive with such minimal care. I talked to the lady that gave it to me, and I'll be going over to dig some soon. hahaha, she says hers is all blooming and so pretty that she's gotten sort of attached to it, but there's still some I can have. We'll see.

it will grow to match the water supply, send runners to trip you, and I don't like it. what I plant in deep shade are red salvia, hardy oxalis, snowflakes, and I use either pine needles or a mulch. At the moment my blueberry plants are also under my pine tree, will see how they do there this year.

Snakes near ponds love the stuff, which is my number one reason for not liking it. I also am not fond of english ivy for similar reasons, too much cover for mother nature's snakes and rodents.

Without a sprinkler system it is well behaved, but in one year with the addition of sprinklers it took over an entire backyard in the shade of oaks. I've never actually seen it bloom, but I usually see it in shade.

I've been wanting to find something for my yard. I have the worst luck trying to grow grass. wondering if this would thrive in sandy soil too. my only real concern is giving snakes a place to roam free (we are in the middle of the woods).

I really should send a pic of my periwinkle to Cajun so she could see where it is growing This is a corner of my yard that only sees the sun in winter ..But it is pouring rain so not going out there for a pic,if I can find one it will be a before pic sorry only ones I found were very old when the wishing well was in another corner

i'd love to see. anyone see any reason why that would be a bad idea for me? i really do NOT like running up on snakes, but if this grows away from my flower beds, i should be ok.

grits... i just now saw you have the same passion i have for those dadgum SWEET GUMS! grrrrrrr!! i'm so sick of those balls everywhere. hate them!! i have so many in one area, you have to be careful so you don't roll your ankle... it's like walking on marbles!!

I used to deliver a newsletter on my block and one yard always left the sweetgum balls out in the grass and there was a slope I had to walk down. Yep, on my hiney a time or two until I remembered to watch for the tree and walk careful.

Yeah, the one I originally asked for ID on is minor. Austin, Maddy and I went over to the lady's house to get some more, and the place she asked us to dig was full of the stuff--"major," that is. We all knew it didn't look like what I got the first time, but I figured it was just bigger and vinier because it was in full sun, while the other had been in shade. hmmmm, I came to my senses a day or two later and realized what I had. I think I'll fix some hanging baskets with this stuff--then go back and get the kind I want to use for ground cover.

I hardly think you could be talking about vinca minor, because the two little patches I planted last August or so haven't spread at all, but they do look healthy. I gave them almost zero care. Just watered them a couple of times.

No I don't think it is unless there have been many changes made to the names of these plants because I bought it as Vinca minor many years ago...I know a lady that has some that looks just like mine only hers is a lot smaller plant

According to google, the differences between major and minor are the size of the blossom and where the flower occurs on the stem. For Vinca Major the flowers are 1-2 inches across and for Minor they are half that size. Also on the Major the flowers occur at the ends of the stems and on minor they occur in the leaf axils. Foliage same, flowers same color,etc. Both can be invasive.

I took tiny cuttings. They thrive in shade, neglect and over attention. Grow to fill available space. They do grow up and out instead of traving underground thouh, so trimming reduces the walking ability.

This has been very interesting for the past 3 weeks someone has brought to our garden class some periwinkle there have been a few variances in size but the foliage and the flowers colors and shape remain pretty much the same and I keep hearing the same story that it was never around these parts untill the past 3 or 4 years

The difference in Vinca Major and Vinca Minor is noted by small hairs along the edge of the leaves by the VEE only on Vinca Major
The flowers say blue purple of vinca major and vinca minor can look almost identical
but one will have hair on the leaf edges and one will not

Vinca has several species one called catharanthus rosea

My name is Caylee Hill I am 13 years old and live in Port Charlotte Florida
I am doing a science fair project on the catharanthus rosea Madagascar periwinkle

I also need plant material from different areas in the US

If anyone would be willing to ship some perhaps a box of plant material ?

Basically need stems leaves flowers (roots or no roots) living dead does not matter

Would need a photo of it to determine species type and the approximate address or
even a GPS coordinate for the location of the collected specimens.

Basically stuff full a few pounds in a USPS large flat rate box and deliver to me in Florida

I am studying alkaloid production from the same species in different areas to see if chemo types
exist.

I received access help with labaratory access FGCU and Whitaker center for testing
Alkaloid extractions DNA sampling and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry on them

Trying to win First place Thomas Alva Edison Science fair and get a four year scholarship as grand prize...

I have a Mentor Dr Greg Boyce at Florida Gulf Coast university who wants to write it up for
entry into the scientific journal.

I do not have a budget for this as I am in 8th grade @ a Middle school
but i will pay for all shipping and perhaps a small fee for time helping me collect some samples.

Do you think you might be able to help out ? send me a D-mail
I have plenty of this stuff here in Florida grows like weeds
...but I need out of state samples for my research.
Willing to trade too !

Needed ASAP of course...Fair is November and lots of work to do getting ready!